Stuffed Butternut Squash is a meatless meal packed full of fresh flavors inspired by Mexican cuisine. This Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe comes in a handy bowl you can eat too!

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Meatless Meals

For the most part, we are meat eaters, Don doesn't typically feel like it's a complete meal without some sort of meat in the equation, but I like to mix things up from time to time and throw in some meatless meals. Usually he complains and asks 'is this all?' or 'where's the main course?' It's not that we don't LOVE vegetables. We absolutely love vegetables and typically our meal will consist of a big salad or lots of steamed fresh vegetables with a small piece of protein and, if he's lucky, I'll add in a starch.

When I served up this Stuffed Butternut Squash I didn't mention it was a meatless meal and Don didn't miss it one bit! The beans, rice, vegetables, and cheese all combined to create a satisfying meal with a complex mix of flavors to rival any of our meaty main dishes!

Scroll down past my photo tutorial to access the ingredients and directions all in one place, if you prefer. Thanks!

How to Make Stuffed Butternut Squash

To make the butternut squash bowls,

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Scrub the outside of the squash clean and cut each in half down the middle from the stem to the root end.
3. Scoop out the seeds and place on a baking sheet so the inside of the squash is facing up.
4. Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and brush a little on each squash.
5. Sprinkle each squash with a pinch of kosher salt and roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until very soft when pierced with a fork.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the rice as follows:

1. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet and add 1 cup Basmati rice.
2. Cook the rice until lightly toasted and add 2 cups of broth. I use chicken broth, but vegetable broth works fine if you prefer. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until most of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and rest for 5-10 minutes, covered.
3. Fluff rice with a fork and add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, black beans, 2 cups salsa, 1 cup corn kernals, 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix that all up and give it a taste. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Reserve until ready to stuff squash.

When squash is nice and soft, remove it from the oven and allow to cool...

Scoop out the inside, leaving a nice border all the way around. I use the open end as a guide and scoop out enough squash to make it even end to end.

Reserve the squash you scoop out to make a wonderful dessert such as my Butternut Cheesecake or Oatmeal Butternut Squash Cookies.

Spoon the rice mixture into the squash bowls to fill. Try to divide it evenly. Depending on the size of your squash, you might have a little rice mixture leftover. It's great for enjoying in a wrap for lunch the next day or even another dinner with a salad. Top each stuffed squash with a tablespoon of shredded cheese, or more to your liking...

and bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with sour cream and my homemade Simple Guacamole. Enjoy!

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Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe

By Life Tastes Good
Published 11/29/2015

Ingredients

• 2 whole butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup Basmati Rice
• 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups Homemade Tomato Salsa (click for recipe), or your favorite salsa
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons cheddar cheese, shredded
• Simple Guacamole (click for recipe)
• Sour Cream

Instructions

1. To make the butternut squash bowls, preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the outside of the squash clean and cut each in half down the middle from the stem to the root end. Scoop out the seeds and place on a baking sheet so the inside of the squash is facing up. Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and brush a little on each squash. Sprinkle each squash with a pinch of kosher salt and roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until very soft when pierced with a fork.
2. When squash is nice and soft, remove it from the oven and allow to cool. Scoop out the inside, leaving a nice border all the way around. I use the open end as a guide and scoop out enough squash to make it even end to end. Reserve the squash you scoop out to make a wonderful dessert such as my Butternut Cheesecake or Oatmeal Butternut Squash Cookies.
3. While the squash is roasting, prepare the rice. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet and add 1 cup Basmati rice. Cook the rice until lightly toasted and add 2 cups of broth. I use chicken broth, but vegetable broth works fine if you prefer. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until most of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and rest for 5-10 minutes, covered.
4. Fluff rice with a fork and add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, black beans, 2 cups salsa, 1 cup corn kernals, 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix that all up and give it a taste. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Reserve until ready to stuff squash.
5. Spoon the rice mixture into the squash bowls to fill. Try to divide it evenly. Depending on the size of your squash, you might have a little rice mixture leftover. It's great for enjoying in a wrap for lunch the next day or even another dinner with a salad. Top each stuffed squash with a tablespoon of shredded cheese, or more to your liking and bake in the 400°F oven until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with sour cream and my homemade Simple Guacamole. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 15 mins.

Cook time: 1 hrs. 00 mins.
Total time: 1 hrs. 15 mins.

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